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Could these be symptoms of my diabetes? Lesser known diabetic symptoms.

Join McLaren Macomb’s department of nutrition and diabetic education in bringing awareness to the disease during November and American Diabetes Month.

While the most recognized and widely-known symptom of diabetes remains the body’s inability to produce an adequate amount of insulin to properly regulate the levels of sugar in the blood, there are a number of symptoms associated with a diabetes diagnosis that go unnoticed.

“While unbalanced sugar levels remain the most critical symptoms associated with the diabetes,” said Judi Zielke, RN, CDE, a diabetes educator with the McLaren Macomb department of nutrition and diabetes education, “there are other significant symptoms of the disease that manifest themselves on other parts of the body.”

These symptoms include:
• Hunger—fluctuating sugar levels can send your body craving for food (sustenance) when those levels bottom out.
• Dry, flaky skin—a sign that insulin resistance is causing issues with the body circulatory system.
• Darkening of the neck, armpits, tingling in the extremities, numbness, burning or swelling of the hands and feet—associated with decreased circulation.
• Fungal and yeast infections—high glucose levels can give bacteria conditions to grow and spread.
• Trouble seeing—blurred or distorted vision caused by high glucose levels.
• Slow healing—cuts and other lacerations might take longer to fully heal due to the levels of glucose in the blood.
• Dizziness, fainting and fatigue—many factors could lead to these symptoms, including lack of food caused by decreased appetite and also lead to feelings of sadness and depression.

McLaren Macomb’s department of nutrition and diabetes education is available to help all patients who might be aided by nutritional counseling.

Appointments are covered by most insurances. A recent diagnosis is not required to meet with the professionals at the Outpatient Nutritional Counseling & Diabetes Center. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (586) 493-8500.